


For We Are The Salt Of Life

by Aves_Pruritus



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Custom Shepards but can be applied to both John or Jane Shepards if preferred coz IDK, Emotional, Friendship, Gen, Loose weapons-based canons, Other, Team as Family, some canon divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-06-02
Packaged: 2018-05-27 02:43:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6266377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aves_Pruritus/pseuds/Aves_Pruritus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Different stories and point of views about the Normandy crew, both old and new. Some sad, some frustrating, others joyous. Each a look into their lives, a break from the wear and tear of their missions.</p><p>(Each chapter may or may not be chronologically connected. Goes to and fro between male and female Shepards</p><p>Latest: Garrus learns more about Jacob)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Courtesy Call

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter is based off of Hannah Shepard's e-mail to the Commander and the Galactic News mentioning her reinstatement to captaining the SSV Orizaba instead of accepting an admiral's start.

She hated having to 'catch up'.

It wasn't the act itself, but the tendency that she always had so much of it to do despite herself. With the drastic situation the galaxy was unbeknownstly launched into since Sovereign showed its metallic hide from dark space, the Commander had little to no time for agendas that didn't include countless thermal clips and negotiations that meant life or death for everyone else.

But regardless of what she had repeated to herself as a stressful mantra for, God forbid, eons, here she was. In front of a reserved terminal, thanks to Bailey's assistance, at what Thessalonica had hoped was one of the more secluded areas of Zakera Ward, a comm number she had very few chances to dial up ringing a call.

"What am I even going to say to her?", the former Alliance officer inquired to nobody but herself as she held the receiver, waiting for the other end to answer. The terminal's dial tone continued on.

"Oh, you can't just start with 'Hi, mom. It's your super-high profile daughter, who died because a hostile alien ship attack killed me before the same organization that had most of my old squad killed by a thresher maw rebuilt me from a corpse'", Garrus, his humor as horribly timed as such, commented sardonically. "Wouldn't want to worry your mother too much, Shepard."

A glare she didn't mean to be so spiteful was aimed at the scarfaced turian before he flayed his hands up in surrender. "Not _helping_ , Vakarian." She turned back to the terminal as she sensed her squadmate step closer.

Although not an expert, she heard a regret she thought reflected her own in Garrus' subharmonics. "I know. Horrible joke. Sorry, but I can't stand to see you stressed out so much about this, even if it _is_ your mom. You need to calm down."

She could sense his talons going for her shoulder when said regret took leave for a moment as she snapped her head back at her friend, causing him to lower the would-have-been comforting hand, her tone replaced by a fatigue she had hidden away beforehand. "I can handle it, Garrus. There're more pressing matters to fret about than a courtesy call—"

"Commander Shepard?", the other squadmate with them, Taylor, interrupted.

Jacob Taylor may have been more honest with her, but being insisted by Officer Lawson to atleast have one Cerberus operative with her while ashore the Citadel spoke volumes about his role as Thessalonica's squadmate.

She was still wary of most of the Cerberus crew since that fiasco at the Lazarus base, but it was slow progress for an Akuze survivor. Agonizingly slow.

Just a glimpse of the yellow insignia propelled the image of a gun-holding Toombs more often than she would have liked.

The dial tone continued to lull indefinitely.

_Come on, captain. Please answer it._

With what little ease she felt, the Commander replied, "Yes, Officer Taylor?"

"You can stop trying to strangle the terminal now, ma'am."

Abashment lit up her eyes as the Spectre finally took notice of her own hands. The one holding the reciever was shaking slightly from an almost-too-tight grip, the other hand threatening to bend the frame that held the terminal up. She even had beads of sweat from hearing that obnoxious dial tone looping as the call was yet to be answered.

Taking in a deep breath, she let go of the frame and loosened her hold on the reciever before exhaling. Shit, why was she always like this when she called this number? The anticipation bothered her so much.

Garrus' cough brought her back to solid ground—or base, if the Citadel was even considered to have ground— as he chided, "We all know this is more than a 'courtesy call'", emphasis through air quoting—the one thing she wished humanity hadn't contributed to the galactic community—before he added with indignantion, "Besides, I don't see how using a terminal away from the Normandy is better than using your own. I'm sure you'd have better reception or access than..." He finished his statement with a gesture to the terminal on the wall.

Before Thessalonica could answer back, Taylor beat her to it. "No, it's for the best. Using a comm address from a Cerberus terminal to contact an Alliance officer, even if it's for civil conversation, can set off all the wrong alarms."

Both the commander and the gunnery officer gave the dark-skinned man a curious look, Taylor having said it all with such a familiarity. As if sensing this, Jacob humbly added, "I, umm, learned that after I quit being a Corsair. Had to cut loose some old friends in my contact list. Our sector's recommendation."

And he was right. Damn it, both of them were. She imagined how it would be if her mother was told of her unorthodox command of an infamous NGO crew. (The Akuze survivor had difficulty seeing the organization as anything but a terrorist group the first few weeks on her new mission.) Alogside that, Thessalonica wanted to explain her situation to her mother before rumors could cloud the older Shepard's judgement.

"I just....", she sighed out, tension ebbing away but still felt raw. "I barely ever called her as it was before the Collectors' attack. How's she going to react to, well—" She turned halfway towards the two men and held out one hand around her newly constructed body. "— _this?_ "

"At least your mother's comm's still accessible.", Taylor, somewhat distant in his speech, voiced out. He wasn't looking directly at her. "You two still got a chance to just....talk."

Garrus also started adjusting the armor on his cowl as he carefully said, "Operative Taylor's got a point, Shepard. Your family's atleast willing to hear you out, even when the Alliance and the Council won't." 

Suddenly, the atmosphere became more reserved than it was when she started dialing. Then it hit her: both men had family issues and, like her, both families were military-based. Seeing the Commander nervous about her own mother must have provoked memories from the two soldiers.

A sad smile came to her lips, fully turning to them while the comm still rang. "Why don't you two go purchase some specialized ammo packs from the wards?" As she talked, Thessalonica took out some credit chits from her pack, handing each man atleast five hundred credits each.  "Might come in handy with Zaeed's favor." 

Jacob looked at the chit in his hand questioningly, then to her. "Commander, we have requisitional funding for this. There's no need—" 

"Actually, I heard that clerk from the arsenal shop said he saved up something special for the hero of the Citadel.", Garrus (thank every deity in the universe) suggested as he began to lead the Cerberus operative towards the stairs, taking the hint. 

When it appeared he was going to question that as well, Jacob's face lit up with understanding as they both side glanced at her. "Alright. Might get some good joe at that café while we're at it." 

"Yeah, I could use some kava myself." The scarfaced turian kept walking but not without calling out to her. "We'll be back in oh six hundred, Shepard!" 

At that moment, the terminal clicked, indicating the call being answered at the other line. As she presses the reciever to her ears, Shepard thank both men silently as she waved at them. As the woman heard another's voice through the comm, she braced herself.

 

* * *

 

**Shepard, Thessalonica.** Commander of the demolished frigate, SSV Normandy and first human Spectre. Assumed dead by the Alliance and Citadel Command after attack by the Collectors until recent return to active duty. Possibly revived by pro-human NGO, Cerberus. Currently in-command of the Normandy SR2 to fight the Collectors. 

** All Broker agents must remain cautious after failed transaction to sell Shepard's corpse to the Collectors was sabotaged. Association with Liara T'Soni, who brought the corpse to Cerberus hands thanks to Agent Feron's betrayal also possible threat. **

\-----

Conversation extracted from the Citadel Communications Channel. Call recieved by civilian commline on Honolulu, Hawaii, Earth, Sol System from Terminal 6582, C-Sec Outpost 1, Zakera Ward, Citadel, Widow Nebula. 

_**Recipient:** "Hello, Janette Shepard speaking." _

_**Caller:** "Gram gram? Don't freak out. It's me—"  _

_**Recipient:** "Tessa? Oh, by heaven above my child. Is that really you? I thought...We thought you were... I-I thought your mother was kidding when she said you were alive!"  _

_**Caller:** "Oh, gram gram... I'm so sorry. I promise I'll clear it up soon."  _

_**Recipient:** "You had better, missy. Two years, child. I can hardly believe it. I missed you so much. I prayed so much."  _

_**Caller:** "I miss you too, Gram. Wait, you talked to mom? Is she taking shore leave there? I need to talk to her."  _

_**Recipient:** "She was supposed to, but after rumors went about you popped up, she opted to stay on the Orizaba. Hannah...Your mother thought she might see you again while on duty."  _

_**Caller:** "On duty? How is she... Oh, mom." _

_ -long pause from Recipient's end-  _

_**Recipient:** "My darling granddaughter. I hope what I think she wants to happen won't be like that."  _

_**Caller:** "Don't worry, Gram gram. It's not going to come to that."  _

_**Recipient:** "I hope so, sweetheart. I know she would never, but her superiors..."  _

_**Caller:** "It's not gonna come to that. I promise."  _

_**Recipient:** "But what are you doing exactly, Tessa? I-I've been hearing news, but with what happened on Akuze years ago, you couldn't possibly..."  _

_ -long pause from Caller's line-  _

_**Recipient:** "...Dear Lord. Don't tell me—"  _

_**Caller:** "I'm still a Spectre, Gram gram. Whatever it takes, I'll keep this galaxy safe. I've told you, mom, and everyone about the Reapers."  _

_**Recipient:** "But wasn't that warship you fought the only one?"  _

_**Caller:** "There'll be more of those, Gram. And I need to keep looking and shooting at whatever leads to them. I have keep you all safe."  _

_ -long pause from Recipient-  _

_**Recipient:** "I see."  _

_**Caller:** "I have to go, Gram gram. Love you."  _

_**Recipient:** "I love you too, dear. Be careful."  _

** -CALL TERMINATED- **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loose reimagining of Spacer kid Shepard's family. Random headcanon: because of their voice actors, Shepard will always be Canadian or partially Canadian to me. Here, I made her Canadian-Hawaiian American.
> 
> IDK.


	2. Talking Shop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm stretching the headcanon on buying stuff based off ME2, but I tried to make it sounds well, subtle enough? That, and only giving them 1000 credits in the last chapter.....yeah, gonna fix that later.
> 
> Als, based off certain time arcs in the ME-verse. Go down the end of the chapter to read about them. OwO)/

The supplies presented to them were standard, but of good quality. No weapons, of course, but mods and upgrades safe to bring back after credits were paid.

Garrus picked up a clip of disruptor rounds and inspected the power level. Around a tier higher than their Commander's current batch upgrades.

A look from Taylor told him exactly what he was thinking of: could they take it higher?

"So...", he began, careful subharmonics sounding unimpressed, "that's a decent package, but..."

"We go on recon and spec ops that involve Blue Suns mercs and Geth platoons with more dense kinetic barriers", the Cerberus biotic bluffed out in what Garrus thought was a professional banter. "I don't suppose you expect Shepard and her squad to go with anything but the best, do you?"

He said it all with the straightest face, Garrus could've sworn Jacob rehearsed it. Maybe the guy wasn't so much a lackey to Miranda as he originally thought.

Etarn Tiron, the shopkeeper, looked like he took offense to the last statement. "I, uh, absolutely want to help the Commander. Anything to help a hero to the galaxy!"

"And that's what Rodam Expeditions is all about, right?" The scarfaced turian put the rounds back into the cache and took out a Nexus omnitool, speaking in his most sympathising voice. "All about being heroes."

The 'heroes' bit struck home to the salesman. Trion was visibly torn by being spoken to as if the mere showing of the cache could endanger 'Team Shepard'. A moment of contemplation before Etran was collecting the cache back, including the Nexus omnitool.

"Wait right here." A barely audible reply as the turian went to the other side of his shop, cache in arms.

And wait they did. Probably wasn't going to take long, but Garrus was half hoping they didn't just fuck up the deal they had. The two were given an offer and were... How would the humans say it? Milking the chance?

What exactly is this 'milk' they talk about?

"That was a good poker face you did there."

"Hmm?" The vigilante straightened his back, inquiring eyes the only other reaction to the question. "Poker what?"

"Oh, uh." Jacob cleared his throat awkwardly. "Poker face means a blank stare, like you do while gambling. And the way you bluffed to Tiron about Shepard not getting the best."

"Ah, that." Spirits, why didn't he just _say_ so? He pushed the mental conundrum of human idioms out of his head to reply. "You think _that_ was a hard bargain. Ever heard of this batarian, Mahreb?"

"We've encountered him, yes."

"Well, guy was so stingy, I was lucky enough to make a deal with him when—Oh, he's back." Garrus shushed himself as both men turned to face a returning Etran, the same cache box in his midst.

The box landed on the counter with a light thud before the shopkeeper heavily sighed out, "There. If you gentlemen will take a look at the stash, I believe you'll be more satisfied with what you find."

He sounded more confident than the first time the two operatives got into the shop. The Palaveni turned to the biotic who nodded, then Garrus proceeded to open the supply cache to take out the disruptor rounds. Another tier higher, making it four tiers.

The scarfaced turian was both alarmed and thrilled knowing that Etarn's shop even had this stashed close by. Neither emotions showed through as he bantered, "Impressive, but what's different about this one?"

"I'm glad you asked, Mister Vakarian," Etran chided, but leaned in closer to say in a softer volume, "When my manager heard Commander Shepard was endorsing us, he had these requisitioned as a 'thank you' the next time her ship docked." All hush hush, he added, "Heavy duty rounds."

"Whoa." Jacob, more at the ammo than the revelation, exclaimed. "These rounds can allow squad-ranged activation. Shepard can pass over the disruptor rounds' effects to our weapons." A tinsy bit of excitement betrayed his professionalism.

Bemused, Garrus scoffed. "So? Some of us have our own specialized ammo, Officer Taylor."

Not miffed by Garrus's brushig aside of tbe rounds, the dark-skinned human replied, "Yeah, but if Shepard's list of current dossiers are accurate, not all of them will have specialized ammo. These could prove useful in taking down enemies with shields, like mechs."

"Oh, come on. With my Overload charged and Shepard draining shields, it'll only take a few more shots to—"

"Ahem, I don't mean to interrupt, but do you want the cache or not?"

Both men ceased their banter to look back at Etran, who was uneasily awaiting an answer.

This was embarrassing, arguing with a Cerberus crewmember about what Shepard would do when it wasn't up to them. Garrus recollected his composure to look through the stash some more. An omnitool with a longer-lasting battery, armor-piercing rounds—thank the Spirits—, warp and incendiary for the Cerberus squadmates, and an upgrade for assault rifles.

The turian couldn't help a slight gawkiness looking at the stash. The fact that it was exactly what they were hoping to get. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Jacob's own somewhat lit up face.

"This..." He resisted stammers, but still paused on his statement. "Forget about the mechs, Taylor. We could ambush a platoom of geth with all this!"

"Hey, hey. Not so loud." Hastily quieting them, Etarn almost lost his business face, looking around the ward up and down.

Garrus was about to say something to calm the other turian before Jacob interrupted. "What our Gunnery Officer means is..." Before he finished the sentence, thete was the glimpse of adrenaline in the man's chestnut eyes.

"Yes?", the shopkeeper urged on with anticipation.

"The cache will definitely suffice. How much do we owe for it?"

* * *

"I can't believe he only made us pay half price. What a steal!"

"Well, according to the info Miranda sent, the shop's sale rates have doubled since Shepard recorded that ad, sir." The human biotic replied with gusto as he dipped a ringed, glazed, bread into his coffee. "Tiron would have to be crazy to do otherwise."

Cache safely on its way to the Normandy, the two men went last to the café next to the C-Sec office. Avoiding the looks of officers he was sure were at the academy with him, Garrus leaned back on counter as he drank some of his kava.

After that, it was...quiet between him and Taylor. There were just standing there, sipping on their caf and looking at passerbys as they did. And it was at that moment that Garrus realized that, despite his distrust on Cerberus, Jacob Taylor was an alright guy.

He knew where the biotic stood with the organization, the Collectors mission, their Commander, and the crew. Funny, since he even admitted the involvement soon after Shepard woke up from her recovery comatose, from what she told him.

Hell, even as a soldier, he was too good to be true. Jacob had his six just like Garrus had Shepard's. The turian was told little about the Alliance's Corsairs, yet it seemed Jacob did a good enough job of it despite all the red tape until Miranda recruited him.

Sounded familiar. Very familiar.

"You doing okay, sir?"

"Hmm?" He didn't even realize his daze, but Garrus came too enough to face Jacob again. "I'm sorry. Was just thinking about how I ended up back here. On the Citadel. Covering for Shepard again."

His talons were twirling the kava cup in his hands as he began eyeing the outpost, not sure if it was awkwardness or shame that fueled his paranoia.

He turned back to Jacob when the man made an audible exhale. "Yeah," he began, "I get what you're saying. It's been awhile since I set foot on the station. Well, back then, I didn't get all the stink eyes and distancing by the people."

Upon speaking, two Alliance soldiers — _Pheonix armor? Were they part of Ashley's old division?_ —passed by, spotting Jacob and making what he understood as expressions of disgust before they walked out of their peripheral vision.

Jacob, for the entire time, just sipped his caf like it was nothing, but his posture was stiffer.

It was bad timing, but Garrus chided, "I'm guessing it's because people are weary of a pro-human group." It was the least offending way to describe Cerberus. It was that or 'human supremist', as many non-humans blantly called it.

"Yeah, but even before I joined, Cerberus was doing things both the Alliance and Citadel Council took too long just on agreeing to do things." He shrugged, like he had said this many times over. "I don't trust Tee-Ay-Ehm completely, but we do good work. Mostly. And now, I'm working with Normandy."

Before he joined, huh?

'Before' Jacob sounded like a Jacob he would have liked to know more about, but he instead asked, "What exactly got you to join Cerberus in the first place? You don't look the type to join because someone told you about benefits."

Jacob shrugged. "True, but Cerberus still had more benefits than my Corsair days did."

The unimpressed look Garrus gave him finally made his fess up. Less chipper, he began. "It was almost two years ago. I was on vacation at this cruiser ship that got ambushed by batarian pirates. I was still fresh out of the Alliance, so I fought them, carefully maneuvering myself to help the cruiser be rid of them. After that, I got assigned to look into the matter further. Talked to my former commanding officer then and found out the attack preluded a peace summit between the Council and the Terminus Systems."

Hold on, he didn't mean... "The one that held batarian-Citadel peace talks?"

Jacob looked at the turian funny. "Where you there? Sounds like you know where this story leads, Garrus."

Taken aback, the Palavani coughed bashfully. "Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt. Please, continue."

"Alright." Another coffee sip before he started again. "Around that time, Cerberus had uncovered the plot as well. They saw the terrorist plot as a threat, so they sent in one of their agents to head to look into it. I think you can guess who went, huh?"

He merely nodded, knowing it was Miranda who recruited Jacob, but Garrus stayed quiet for the rest of the story.

"Anywho, we met up. She said a man of action with my skills would be an asset to humanity's front in the galaxy." His brown eyes made that looking-off-the distance stare before blinking it out. "I was skeptical then, but I wanted to know why the batarians attacked all of a sudden, so I said I'd help find who was behind the mess."

"You two teamed up." Garrus couldn't help the reminiscent subharmonics, not that the human would be able to hear it. "Sorry. Go on."

"Oh, we teamed up, alright." The next sip it seemed had emptied Jacob's coffee. The human looked disappointed, but it cleared up quick before he continued. "We went and investigated. Kept going between star systems. Inquired C-Sec, mercs, and civilians alike. Then we met the batarian ambassador—"

"You're not talking about Jath'Amon, are you?"

A dark brow was raised at the turian's outburst. "I am, actually. You knew about the incident?"

"Knew about it?" Garrus couldn't hold the his flabbergasted snort at what he realized. "I was one of officers sent over after the bastard was caught red-handed. Heck, I even got a look at the guy while he was bashing humanity and... It was you!"

Jacob titled his head at the reveal. He stopped between laughs to say, "You were there? And you helped with shutting down his plot?"

For a moment, the two men all but stared at each other, either men not knowing what to say. Suddenly, they both laughed, almost very loud sighs that got the cafe's barista to eye them with warning.

Jacob tried to relax his face while his head shook. "Haha... man, this galaxy really is that small. Me, getting help from Archangel back then."

"Trouble attracts those who want it gone, and all." Garrus was glad he didn't finisb his kava while Jacob was telling his story. He probably would've squirted it out by now. "Oh, man. We gotta tell Shepard about..."

He stopped mid sentence, realization once again hitting him. A look at Jacob's face told the biotic was thinking of the same thing.

For the first time since they had met that year, Jacob looked dumbfonbded. "How long did we leave her there?"

"Long enough, gentlemen."

They didn't have to look at her to know Shepard was regarding them with amusement. The second they turned to the Spectre, arms crossed but looking more smug than the expected impatience. From polite distances, obvious admirers or critics of the human looked on in awe.

Jacob was the first to recover his voice. "We, uh, got the cache sent to the Normandy, Commander. And sorry for the delay, ma'am. I guess took our time in the café."

Shepard hummed as she regarded the two. "I can see that. Getting along, are we?", the woman tactfully commented. "Time flies when you chat up with friends."

Garrus felt awkward hearing that statment, but glancing at Jacob, who looked back, he no longer saw a Cerberus operative.

Not quite friends, but _close._

"You could say that, Commander."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to the Mass Effect Galaxy mobile game, Jacob Taylor teamed up with Miranda, prior to joining Cerberus, to end a batarian terrorist plot against the Council.
> 
> Garrus Vakarian mentions helping to stop said plot as well during a banter with James Vega during ME, so...
> 
> Since one can't overlap the other, I decided tot ry to make sense on either canons, especially since these really DO have alot in common.
> 
> (I haven't played ME Galaxy, so pardon me if I got what little I wrote of it wrong."


End file.
